1. Field of the invention
This invention relates to an animation device, such as an animated picture, a publicity display means or advertisement panels showing an image obtained by the arrangement in successive planes of sheets comprising transparent and opaque elements adapted to be disposed one behind the other, in which device there is provided a means of at least partial modification of the relative spacing of the sheets in relation to one another.
2. Description of the prior art
In the field of publicity it is often desired to draw the attention of customers by images which appear to be in relief and which are animated. Very many lighting processes have been used for this purpose. Most of these processes and the device which put them into practice nevertheless require complicated and expensive technical means, necessitating permanent electrical or mechanical installations, or at least expensive and bulky equipment which is difficult to maintain and the installation of which takes a long time. Illuminated panels composed of a large number of electric bulbs, cinematographic projection, and automatons may be mentioned as known technical publicity means permitting animation.
American Pat. No. 3,314,180 discloses a device recreating an image in relief which is composed of various superimposed transparent supports, each of which carries a portion of the image which is to be recreated. In this patent the transparent supports are vibrated at a frequency at least equal to 15 Hz in order to obtain a three-dimensional image "so that the pictured objects seem solid from front to back". The means proposed by this American patent comprise resilient fastening of the edges of the supports and a vibration period at most equal to the persistance time of the image on the retina, because it is required to obtain an illusion of an image which has volume but appears to be fixed. A certain blurring of the image necessarily results from the vibrations.